According to Township Manager Dan Kerr, the Pennsylvania Second Class Township Code “allows the township to regulate where and when sidewalks are to be required throughout the entire community.”

“Generally” sidewalks are mandated in the township when a property is developed, Kerr said.

“The Pennsylvania Code also places the cost burden of the sidewalks on the individual property owner,” Kerr told The Mercury.

According to the township’s engineer, Khaled Hassan, concrete for a sidewalk could cost $16 to $17 per square foot, depending on the contractor.

At the meeting, Kerr said it was best to allow citizens to seek out their own contractors for the job because if the township did it, township wages would apply and probably cost residents more for installation.

The supervisors tasked Kerr with “defin(ing) options on how to implement any installation of sidewalks on Lewis Road.”

“Before we put this into play, we need to figure out these issues,” said Supervisor Elaine DeWan Tuesday.

A time frame for when the sidewalks would need to be implemented is still up for discussion.

What has been decided on is the standard for the location of sidewalks on properties. The `supervisors agreed to plans put forth by Hassan in which sidewalks will likely be required to be about five feet away from the side of Lewis Road.

Sidewalks will probably not be the only thing property owners will need to add. When specifications are settled on by the supervisors, lighting and greenery could also be required.

Supervisor Kara Shuler suggested just hammering all of that out now to get it over with.

“Why don’t we just come back with one concept and say, ‘Here’s your six-month deadline, work it into your budget, work it into your project,’” she said.

“That’s a lot of money,” said the board’s chairman, Joseph St. Pedro.

An unidentified member of the public in the audience at Tuesday’s meeting had concerns regarding that.